Free Hugs in Korea

"Free hugs.

There's love in it. There are people's smiles and hope in it. You don't need money to find it. You just need a bit of courage. Don't give up. Look around, look at your family, and share the love."

Motherland

Wow, it's been roughly six months since my last post here. I guess a lot has happened since then, the most notable thing being that I'm now living in another country (landed in Seoul about two weeks ago). I'll be here for approximately six months, working to hire, manage and lead a Search Quality team for Google Korea. Another critical part of my assignment here is to eat every conceivable Korean snack and drink in sight until I've tried all of them.

Before landing in Seoul, I stopped by Beijing to meet with the local Search Quality team on the ground there. Overall, a very good time and also my first visit to The Great Wall. Pictures from Beijing here.

Those who know me well, know that I'm hopelessly dependent on my BlackBerry in the states. Due to incompatible networks in Korea, my BlackBerry is a paperweight here so don't leave messages on it because I'm not checking. If you want to reach me, my mobile here is 82.10.5102.0426. If you want to avoid international long-distance charges but still want to leave me some love, you can do so on my int'l voicemail box: (415) 335-7530.

Until next time...

Maserati Purchase

Now that I have your attention, if you actually believed that I purchased a Maserati, you're out of your mind (or you think that I am). At any rate, the real story is that I test-drove one this past Thursday. Why, you ask? They had been sending me invitations to come test-drive their flagship sedan, the Quattroporte, which I had been ignoring since I'm obviously not their intended target demographic (not sure how I got on their list in the first place, but I'm not complaining). Their most recent invitation stated that they would give me a Bose headset if I came in to test drive the Quattroporte. So the question then quickly became "why the hell not?" Entry continued on my Automotive Review blog...

Just landed in Boston at 7am this morning. Jet-lagged like crazy. I can tell you first-hand that doing three different timezones within 48 hours is not an enjoyable experience. Tomorrow is my cousin's wedding, then back to SF on Tuesday evening. Looking forward to partying in the Bay again this weekend.

Updates, Updates.

Haven't had much time to update lately, but a quick run-down of my moderately eventful life during the past few weeks:

• I've moved! I'm now living in SF (no more 'burbs pour moi). I'm pretty much all settled in, but still need curtains and a few minor things (will post some pictures later).
  
  
• James Sun didn't win the Apprentice (referencing my previous post); oh well.
  

• Recently getting back into the show Entourage. I now own Seasons 1, 2 and 3 on DVD (which is borderline shameful).
  
  
• Landed in Seoul last night, where I'll be until May 30 on business. From here, I fly back to SF, then to Boston for my cousin's wedding until June 6, and then back to San Francisco when I'll finally have some time to relax.

My number in Seoul is 010-8659-9156, for those who care/are here. See you all on the flip-side.

The Apprentice, LA

Does anyone still watch the Apprentice? I recently just got back into it and I must say, I'm hooked. Below are my thoughts on the final four candidates:

James (Internet Company Founder/CEO)
James Sun is the man. He's smart, dedicated and presents well. Obviously a favorite of The Donald (you can tell by the way he always consults James on who should get fired, or who screwed up, etc.), I think he has a very good chance at becoming the next Apprentice. Although his team lost the last project on which he was Project Manager, he was able to defend himself well in the boardroom and stay in the game. James started the company Zoodango, a professional networking website, which I've joined.

Stefani (Attorney)

Besides the fact that she's a hottie? She's also one of the most focused in the group and is simply able to get things done. She's level-headed and is a solid presenter (as evidenced by her performance in the last episode, where her and James dominated as partners). Stefani is, in my opinion right up there with James as far as chances of becoming the next Apprentice.



Frank (Owner/CEO, Contracting Company)

Frank has a lot to say but frankly (no pun intended), most of it isn't worth listening to (which his teammates are quickly discovering). Yes, he's tenacious and can probably manage a crew of construction contractors effectively, but tenacity and people-management skills alone won't prevent this guy from getting canned. He hasn't shown much leadership ability thus far and lacks the professional sophistication to manage an operational behemoth that is (and will be) any Trump real estate venture. Moreover, he tanked the last project and didn't take any ownership in the failure (and directed most of it at Heidi, his partner who got fired).

Nicole (Owner, Real Estate Company)
I'll come right out and say it; Nicole should have been fired after her shoddy presentation and lack of preparation during the last episode. She owns a real estate company, yet she left most of the work on a real estate marketing project to be done by her attorney partner, Kristine (who was fired instead of Nicole for putting the wrong phone number on their marketing brochure). Don't forget the fact that she slept while Kristine did most of the work on that particular project. It's becoming increasingly obvious that Nicole has made it this far by piggybacking off of the strategic thinking and hard work of her peers. She is also overly emotional and lacks resolve and professionalism. If she is not fired in the next round, I will be very surprised (as well as annoyed).

Heidi (Nat'l/Int'l Sales Manager)
Heidi was fired in the last episode and is not in the final four, but in my opinion, she shouldn't have been fired. Yes, she completely bombed her presentation and defended herself poorly in the boardroom, but she should not have been fired before Nicole. Heidi project-managed the previous assignment (creating an insert for the LA Times) exceptionally, which shows that she's capable of effectively managing a team and producing quality work. It also seems as though she possesses a high level of professional integrity.


We'll see how it unfolds. Geez, Sunday night already. Have a great week everyone.

Mission Statement

I recently co-facilitated an exercise with my team at work. We called it a "Mission and Values" exercise. The purpose of it was to come up with a Mission Statement that encompassed the values that our team was to operate by. The end result was a white-board and huge sheets of paper crowded with words such as "efficiency," "innovation" and "personal growth" all connected to each other by a series of intersecting lines, ultimately resulting in a one-liner Mission Statement for the team. These sheets of paper are currently taped to the walls of my office.

Somewhat ironic that I would help lead this exercise.

If you haven't seen the movie Jerry Maguire, go watch it. You may find that you can relate to it in the same way that I've been able to lately. I've been in California a little more than three years since my departure from Boston, and it's been a good three years. I've developed strong friendships, found moderate success in an industry I'm passionate about and I've achieved financial independence. To any reasonable outsider looking in, it would appear as though I've achieved success and as a direct result of this success, found happiness.

I welcome anyone to find two words in the English language more subjective than the words happiness or success (maybe my vocabulary isn't as robust as yours, but I tried and failed). Happiness can be driving with nothing but open road ahead of you, or maybe just enjoying a really good meal. Success can mean that long-awaited promotion. These events hold no guarantee of continued sustainability. Both of these are, at the end of a long hard day, small pieces of what will continue to be a work in progress.

This realization has been a critical point I've reached in my life.

Asking yourself the question of "what is most important, and why?" can be very revealing. This is what led me to draft my own Mission Statement, so to speak; not to accomplish a specific objective per se, but to serve as a guiding post for life in general. Here goes...

"Constantly surround yourself with people who can teach you new and interesting things, with whom you can also share your own knowledge. Engage in jobs and activities that give you the opportunity to influence and improve the way people live their lives, through technology or other mediums. Question every decision you make by asking the simple question of 'why?' If the answer deviates from the values herein, don't do it. Don't just speak the truth, live it. Go whole-heartedly, or don't go at all. Embrace your passions and share them openly with others."

I leave you with this as both a challenge and a reminder that the obviousness of success and happiness is almost never obvious, nor is one a mere byproduct of the other.

New Abode

After many months of searching and heavy thought, it has been done. I've purchased my first home (well, condo). I signed the contract yesterday, which required a great deal of fine-print reading and legalese deciphering (not so much fun when you're mildy hung-over early on a Sunday morning).

Next steps are to close escrow (May 15) and finalize the terms of my mortgage (this week). The downside is that I can't move in until May 15 because I purchased the model unit as soon as it came onto market, which the developer needs to continue to show until they can get another model unit ready, which will be in mid-May.

With this move also comes is a significantly longer commute to work (45-60 minutes, as opposed to just 5-7 minutes). I'm hoping that the benefits of living closer to the city will quickly outweigh the negatives of being farther from work. The Google shuttle should help with this. Stay tuned.

As an aside, I find it ironic that the etymology of the word mortgage comes from two French words mort, "dead," and gage, "pledge." So in taking on a mortgage, what you're really doing is agreeing to a death pledge. Leaves you with a warm, tingly feeling inside.

Pictures and a virtual tour of my actual unit are here.

As an update to my previous post, pictures from Napa and Tahoe, as well from the Accenture company party this past weekend.

Have a great week everyone.

Nerdom (and President's Day Weekend)

I've been trying to resist the urge to post nerdy content here, but I really can't help it; deal with it. As expected, Microsoft Vista was nothing more than a lot of hype followed by confusion and disappointment. It may look pretty, but it's a lot like plastic surgery: knowing what's underneath the pretty facade detracts from its attractiveness. Was that an effective analogy?

Poking fun at MSFT. Always fun times...

A couple of guys from Andover, MA (my hometown) threw this short clip together.
Testament to the fact that there's absolutely nothing to do there.

Had a good long weekend. Spent a majority of it with JC and the Pac-Heights girls. Short recap (I'd post pictures, but I don't have any. When I get my camera back from Gangsta Hwangsta, I'll post them):

• Friday night: JC and I went to "G3" (a lame SF Korean lounge) out of sheer curiosity (never again). We left after two Crown shots, a vodka tonic and a very awkward encounter with a woman who resembled both of our aunts (45 min total). We then met Sarah, Jen, Gloria, Robin and Min at Rouge to cap off the evening. Most memorable quote from Rouge:
• [Jason measuring go-go dancer's heel with his fingers as she dances on the bar]
  Go-Go Dancer: "It's seven inches."
  Jason: "Yea? So's mine."
  
  
• Saturday: Hit up the driving range with JC, only to quickly come to the sad realization that we both suck at golf. Ate shabu, then passed out (not together; at our own respective apartments, you bastards).
  
  
• Sunday: Drove up to Napa with JC, Sarah and Jen. Drank wine and ate all day, only to come back to SF to continue our gluttony at the House of Prime Rib. Most memorable quote from Napa:
  
• Jen Tai (after tasting a St. Clement Cabernet): "This tastes like Chinese medicine!"
  
  
• Monday: Vegetated. "Time wasted is never truly wasted, if you enjoyed wasting it."
  

* Shameless cross-blog plug: new post on my TEK Automotive Review blog.

Email from Mom

Ah Duhl (son),

It is very cold day here in Boston. Mom and dad doing same thing everyday and that makes me sick and tired, but I know that's also blessing. Do you remember the church on the way of home? I saw some words at that church and impressed. "compliment from another is the gift from GOD" so,I think you have so many gifts. right? Mom always wants you be a real man which has a warm heart for someone needs you. I want you be A real man rather than a rich man.

Mom and dad saw a movie "The Queen" last saturday night. It' was boring movie. mom tried to enjoy the life as much as i can. Remember, THINK TWICE always when you need to decide.

With love,
Mom

BMW Films

These are three of my favorite short films from Seasons 1 and 2 of the now discontinued "BMW Films" episodes. Talk about good marketing.

Featuring Madonna and directed by her husband Guy Ritchie; some very impressive driving (not actually done by Clive Owen, of course). BMW M5 used.

"Star":


From Season 2,

"Ticker", featuring the Z4 (directed by John Woo):


"Hostage", featuring the Z4:

Life Changing Digital/Web Technologies

While "life changing" may sound dramatic, if you take a moment to think about how certain technologies have impacted your life, it's quite appropriate to describe them as such. Even for tech neophytes, it's difficult to argue that there isn't at least one technology that's significantly changed the way we do our work, enjoy life or solve problems small or large. These are the types of technologies that I’ll be referring to below.

I've separated them into two categories: "Web" and "Digital Lifestyle". The former refers to technologies that have leveraged the power of the internet* on a large scale to bring tangible value to a global user base. The latter refers to technologies referred to informally as "gadgets", which have changed the way we think about and use digital mediums of entertainment and communication in our everyday lives.

Top 5 Web Technologies

1. Web Search:
It's broadly estimated that we’ve** aggregated less than 30% of every web site in existence. Rather than focusing on a specific Web search provider (i.e. Google, Yahoo), I’m focusing on the concept of Web Search as a technology itself. Simply put, the value of the internet would be diminished dramatically if it wasn’t organized or made universally accessible and useful.

2. Web 2.0:
The implementation of AJAX has allowed web-based applications to become extremely powerful and versatile, not to mention viable alternatives to client-side applications (ie. Google’s Docs & Spreads vs. Microsoft Word & Excel).

3. Social networks/P2P Communities:
There are more than a dozen individual sites in this category that could easily be their own item on this list: Wikipedia, Facebook, MySpace, to name a few. However, I’m focusing on the very concept on which all of these sites were founded on. Social networks and communities will continue to be a breeding ground for productive and fun collaboration as well as public knowledge creation and distribution.

4. Apple iTunes Music Store:
If there was a textbook example of e-commerce done well, this would be it. Apple has managed to create seamless integration between its music store, the iTunes application and the iPod. The process by which you purchase music is extremely intuitive and the price-points all make sense. Now, if only they could nail the DRM (Digital Rights Management) portion of it to enable access to purchased music, server-side.

5. Email/Instant messaging:
The most dated technology on this list, I think we can all agree that email and instant messaging have proven their worth over the years. Beyond the fact that we’d all be lost without them (both at work and in our personal lives) it makes real-time communication easier and more accessible. When paired with a smart phone (below), you have the best of both worlds.

Top 5 Digital Lifestyle technologies

1. Smart phones:
The newest inductee to this group would be Apple's new iPhone. Smart phones are essentially devices that can browse the web, serve as a PDA, run third-party applications, make and receive calls and look damn good while doing all of it (OK, so the last one isn’t really a requisite, but what good is a smart phone if you don’t want to be seen using it?). Moreover, in countries like Japan, the mobile phone is the most commonly used device to access the internet, not PCs. Some popular fruits, numbers and letters (respectively) in this category are the BlackBerry, Treo and Q.

2. Apple iPod:
Can you think of any other piece of hardware that has single-handedly modified the direction of an entire company, currently has a cult following consisting of children, young professionals and seniors alike and is quite possibly one of the most desirable pieces of hardware ever made? The iPod has brought new meaning to the words "mobile media".

3. Wireless networking (802.11_)
If you enjoy being able to work at Borders, the airport, in the park or on your bed untethered to a CAT-5 cable, then you need to give 802.11_ some love. Often taken for granted, wireless networks will be the driver for new business models, including (but not limited to) enhanced distribution channels, advertising, and collaboration.

4. GPS-enabled devices:
While satellite-based navigation is currently the most common use for GPS technology today, the future looks bright in other areas as well. As geolocation becomes more important (ie. standing at an intersection in San Francisco and finding all pizza places within a 0.5 mile radius of you, automatically), we’ll see GPS technologies becoming more commonplace in phones and other mobile devices.

5. TiVo:
I don't watch enough television to warrant owning a TiVo myself, but the concept of on-demand media continues to show promise, as evidenced by YouTube. TiVo is last on this list because as products such as Apple’s iTV and Google’s YouTube begin integrate, the demand for TiVos may slowly diminish.

While perusing various exhibits at Macworld last week, I thought about what differentiates a "life changing" technology from a merely utilitarian technology. After some mild deliberation, I came to the conclusion that the former goes far beyond utility; it’s emotional; it stirs excitement and passion. Consumers lust after Apple’s brilliantly designed products after nearly every new product release they have. Google has become a commonly used verb in the English language.

I don't personally know anyone who gets excited by the thought of firing up Microsoft Windows on their Dell laptop (usually, having to do so conjures feelings of frustration and angst). However, the utility (not to mention compelling market share) of the Windows platform is inarguably present. Therein lies the distinction.

Google’s new releases during Macworld:

Viewing San Francisco in 3D with Google Earth 4

Modeling an Audi R8 with Google Sketchup 6

* The internet itself could be considered a top web technology on a macro level. I’m thinking on more of a micro level here, focusing in on internet-based technologies.

** In saying “we’ve”, I’m referring to the aggregated indices of all top search engines.

*** I work at Google, but all of the views expressed in this post are my own and not those of my employer.